My girlfriend and I will be visiting Seattle in early May and are looking into doing a solid day hike in Olympus National Park. We'll be spending the weekend around the park and I want to find a hike that is challenging but that won't get us in over our heads. Does anyone have a suggestion for us? I'm looking for all all hike that will leave us worn out and amazed!
Keep in mind that Olympic NP is a couple hours travel from Seattle, in most cases. Perhaps do-able as a dayhike if you start really early. Hurricane ridge might be a good option. You can stop at the visitor information center in Port Angeles to pick up permits on the way in.
The cascades are generally more amenable to day hiking from Seattle. Much closer, and less permit hassles. (You'll still need a NW forest pass or Discover pass for parking at most THs)
WTA is a good source for finding trails and figuring out permit requirements
Edit: just noticed the "couple of days" part. May can be a bit early for getting up high- maybe look at Hoh River or the coastal beaches...
Thanks - - To clarify, we're going to spend the weekend in/around the park so we won't have too far of a drive. I'm hoping to find something that is a tough climb, but isn't going to get us mixed up with anything like a spring avalanche.
Early May is in prime season for waterfalls. "The journey is the destination"; a waterfall offers a perfect excuse for a day hike exploration! There are dozens, hundreds, within or near Olympic NP. For starters...
-------------- "of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt" - John Muir
"the wild is not the opposite of cultivated. It is the opposite of the captivated” - Vandana Shiva
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-------------- "of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt" - John Muir
"the wild is not the opposite of cultivated. It is the opposite of the captivated” - Vandana Shiva
The waterfalls seem like a good option! We would like to see the rain forest and it seems like doing an actual climb would keep us largely above the forest.
What would be perfect would be a hike that starts in the rain forest that takes us up to a peak. Any ideas for that?
Well depending on snow conditions a few options come to mind for rainforest-to-peak hikes (note the trail length varies but most would be over 15 miles round trip):
1. SolDuc TH up to Appleton Pass (lush forest up to an alpine pass)
1.b SolDuc TH to Deer Lake, maybe Bogachiel Peak too (snow slopes could be bad)
2. Staircase TH up to Gladys Divide via Flapjack Lakes, maybe Mt Gladys too (long roundtrip!, expect much snow up to Gladys Divide)
3. Colonel Bob from Lake Quinault (I have no personal experience with this one, but its starts near the excellent Quinault drainage and rain forest)
The snow could really be problematic though on any of peaks over, say 4k, if you don't have the right footwear available (boots, gaiters, potentially snowshoes and possibly crampons too). Depending on conditions, as your visit date approaches, I would recommend option 1 since the trail is pretty good all the way to Appleton Pass, the pass is broad with excellent views and good for exploring, and if you get turned around there are some excellent waterfalls along the way through the deep green forest.
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-------------- *Just say NO to Rent-Seeking, don't give up the concept of "ownership"*
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